Organized crime the reason for high crime and death rates in pro-GC states?

Had someone offer this excuse to why cities such as Chicago, New York, LA, New Jersey etc. all have higher crime rates than say Houston, San Antonio, Salt Lake City, Phoenix is because there is more organized crime in the pro GC cities.

While I cannot vouch for cities in Texas and Utah, I know that Arizona has trouble with the cartels, smugglers of both narcotics and humans among other things. So the whole "That's why crime is higher in Pro gun states" is due to the mafia or whatever have you doesn't seem to have a very solid stance from what I know at least in AZ.

Anyone care to comment in regards to this who are from the major cities in pro-gun control states?

I'm sure what this individual says does play a factor into higher crime rates, but I doubt it's the only reason for such states to have higher homicides and so on.